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Ideas, I am building a welding trailer

12-01-2005, 12:25 PM

OK;
I am wanting to build a trailer that will carry a Bobcat 250. I am wanting to go with tandem axles for ease of backing it up as well as weight. I am looking at it being no more than 14 feet long and 7" 10" wide. I have some ideas in my head, however I am not sure where I should mount my Bobcat due to weight. I was thinking, towards the rear of the axles in the center. But I am not sure if that is the correct location. If you have any advice, please send it to me as I how never done a project like this, or if you have any advice in general as to ideas or problems you have come across while building a trailer please send them to me. Lastly if you would like to share a pictures with me it would be helpful.

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I see Bobcats daily on trailers, most of them are right above the axles. If you pull it forward it adds a lot of weight to your truck. Just something you are going to have to play with when you get it built...Bob

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I think he means a Bobcat 250 engine driven welder, not a Bobcat 250 skidsteer, because I don't think there is 250 model skidsteer. Tandem axle trailer for a Bobcat 250 welder seems a bit overkill, but if you ever get a bigger welder you would be ready for it trailerwise.

Dennis Miller
Yuma, AZ
NRA Benefactor member

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Sorry guys, I mean a Miller Bobcat 250 gas driven welding machine. I am looking at a tandem axle trailer as I want to be able to equip. it with a torch set up as well as other tools. Sorry for the confusion.

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Chris, my trailer is only 5' x 8' single axle. It has a oxy/act. bottle rack on the front, machine in the center, toolboxes down each side,lead racks, extension cord rack, water cooler holder, and a fab table with vise & chop saw on the back of the trailer. I love the way it is laid out and has been plenty big enough to do just about anything I have wanted to do with it.
To answer your question about where to put the machine, all depends on how you lay the trailer out. If you have alot of things on the front of the trailer you will have to move the machine more towards the back. When I built mine, I put my bottles, boxes, etc. on the trailer before I bolted the machine down. This will allow you to move the machine forward or backwards on the trailer to get the tongue wieght right. I like at least 75lbs of tongue wieght. If you make the tongue of the trailer a little longer it will make it easier to back up. I have pictures but haven't figured out how to attach them to this post yet.
see ya, Jason

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Jason, To attack pics, just go to the bottom of this reply (when you reply on yours) and look for MANAGE ATTACHMENTS click there and a little box will come up that says BROWSE. Click the button and look for your pics where you have them stored, desktop, floppy or disc. Then when the number comes up for that pic you want click it, and click OPEN. It wlll appear in the BROWSE box, click UPLOAD, then close This window. The pic should be at the bottom of the message, you can click on the picture and make sure its the right one . Hope this helps...Bob

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Thanx, guys for the information. Jason I look forward to seeing your pictures. One question, a Miller 250 weighs 560 pounds what machine do you have and can one axle handle 560 pounds? Sorry two questions.

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this is a 250 mounted on single axle with mounts for bottles
a 'jobox' welder box will be on the front.
still got to rig with tail lights, work lights and fire extr.

axle is a rear from a Mercury Villager van... think it's actually a Toyota axle that merc specs... added helper coils but not for weight... the leaf springs were a little too 'springy'.. the coils cut down on the bounce when traveling...

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Chris, I think I have finally figured out how to attach pics. I have a bobcat 225, it also wieghs about 560lbs. The single axle does not have any trouble hauling the machine and all the other things I have on it. The trailer frame is built out of 4" channel with 3/16" plate for the floor. For the boxes, I had a sheet of 1/8" plate sheered & broke into L-shaped pieces. I used the floor of the trailer for the bottom of the boxes. I made the lead/ext rack the way I did to prevent shaking. I cut holes in the floor to recess the bottles 4". Let me know if you have any questions.
Good Luck, Jason